Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-10-06
P0LLY'S BISCUIT.

saw Mr. Msllwainc standing at her side.
"Why shouldn't buy today" she cried.
~ have had this hundred dollars In gold for
almost year, Mr.. McIlwaine, trying 10
make up my mind what | wanted most
now my birthday is almost here again, and
nm afraid Grandpa will make this do for
two birthdays, Il don't hurry and spend
it,"
But Polly's gay little laugh was checked
by n look of unmistakable compassion In
the gentleman's eyes. The color faded a
little from her bright young face, but she
would not ask any questions here In the
| crowded store.
"You may put them back to-day, Mr.
| West" she said 10 the jeweler. III come
again tomorrow"
every well, Miss Rutherford" said the
vexed salesman, concealing his disappoint-
| ment, 81 shall reserve them for you
Polly left the tempting store with Mr.Mc-
| Ilwaine, and once on the street turned upon
him pair of frank, questioning eyes, which
he found hard TO answer.
Paul McIlwaine was n friend of the Ru-
therford family but not specially of little
Polly she was only sixteen, mere child
TO the hard working lawyer of thirty, and
one he considered rs altogether too frivolous
and empty. Polly was an only daughter,
living with n widowed mother in her grand
fathers elegant house, and If she was not
/ spoiled girl it was not the fault of the dot
ing old grandfather, whose idol she had
| been from her babyhood.
"What did you mean, Mr.. Mcllwaine ?"
she asked, presently finding that the qnes-
tioning look brought no reply. And then,
seeing how embarrassed he seemed about
| answering, she said, with sudden fear,
| 'Have you been at Grandpa's since left
Is anything the matter -
| 'They are all WELL" he said, answering
the thought which he knew was in her mind,
''but something has happened, Polly, Of
| course, or / would not have interfered with
| your purchase"
"Oh tell me, tell me-" said the girl in
an agitated voice "Why do you keep me
| in suspense %
"What blunderer | am" thought her
companion. ''If tell her out here on the
| street, there will be scene but I'm in
for il now, and il don't tell her l suppose
there will be scene that's the way with
these fine young ladies"
"It is hard thing 10 say to you, Polly,
but your grandfather has failed"
Failed" +" repeated Polly vaguely, "you
mean he has lost his money? Is that all :?
Is that what you were afraid 10 tell me -
| ''That ALI means good deal more than
you seem 10 understand, said Paul Nell
waine, impatiently at means loss and
| grief and disappointment and poverty TO
os.o 80 .',e b~~+ syp'Sticr''ea i44 ti'e "orld IL
means hard work 10 your mother who has
no airength for work 10 you -"
He stopped, and f'oity satti qaloals, s,-rsal-
| ing the tinge of contempt in his tone: 'Nev-
| er mind about me, but see now how bad 1t
will be poor Grandpa Mr.. Mcllwaine
does-must-will anybody else lose by
Grandpas failure ?"
at is too soon to say positively" he re-
piled, 'but think not. l think he has
quit business in time to leave his creditors
any appreciable loss"
Polly's head was up now, and her eyes
shining. "Dear old Grandpa" she said,
"bless his heart / am ashamed that ask
ed the question l might have known.
But oh I'm so much obliged to you for
keeping me from spending my hundred dol
lars it was very kind of you, livery l
don't know how you came 10 find me- How
/ l..V,R ~ Il
'Tt only came out this morning. and took
us al entirely by surprise But here we
are Mt your door good-by, my dear /; If l
can be of service TO you in any way, Che had
meant TO offer her money, but he was sud
denly afraid to speak of such thing TO the
spirited-looking girl before him, remember
the long intimacy between our families
gives me n right to help you"
''Thank you," she said simply; 1t was all
she had voice for, and, using her latchkey
she let herself into the house.
'Bless me - said the young lawyer, as he
walked off, "but the girl has pluck 1t was
very pretty, and entirely womanly, too, the
way she thought of others, her grandfather
and the creditors. didn't think little Pol
ly had it in her,
If he had seen little Polly at this minute,
he might not have thought she had so much
in her she had slipped noiselessly into the
great handsome front parlor and dropped
down on one of the low cushioned divans,
"all in a heap" as the girls say. For two
whole hours she kept herself hid in the par
lor, nobody knowing she was in the house,
and in that long, silent time, when she
heard only the tinkling little bronze clock,
and her own irregular breathing, something
happened to Polly, almost like what hap
pens to the moth when it comes out of the
cocoon. 1t happened to the Polly that was
hid away inside of the Polly that every body
knew and who shall say but that this
great, startling change of fortune was not
sent to keep that inside Polly from being
smothered and dwarfed by the outside
Polly
When she went to find her mother and
grandfather, it was with bright face and
steady voice.
A few days after this, Polly brought up a
dainty little breakfast to her mother, who
was quite overcome by their disaster, rs
was the poor old grandfather.
"Come, mother" Polly said blithely, 81
made these biscuits, and you've got to eat
two. What n good thing it was that you
had that hobby about teaching me to dc
things: don't it fit in nicely now %
'It was theory of your father answer
ed the mother, in depressed tone; ~
promised him when you were n wee baby in
long clothes that would have you taught
to do everything that women can do, and OF
course, after his death, i felt the more bound
to do it, But / don't know why you should
make so much of it now you can't support
yourself by making biscuits"
'T don't know" said Polly, carelessly ;
"I don't know" she repeated more earnest